Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Friction
Fric′tion
,Noun.
1.
The act of rubbing the surface of one body against that of another; attrition; in hygiene, the act of rubbing the body with the hand, with flannel, or with a brush etc., to excite the skin to healthy action.
2.
(Mech.)
The resistance which a body meets with from the surface on which it moves. It may be resistance to sliding motion, or to rolling motion.
3.
A clashing between two persons or parties in opinions or work; a disagreement tending to prevent or retard progress.
Angle of friction
(Mech.)
, the angle which a plane onwhich a body is lying makes with a horizontal plane,when the hody is just ready to slide dewn the plane.
This angle varies for different bodies, and for planes of different materials.
– Anti-friction wheels
(Mach.)
, wheels turning freely on small pivots, and sustaining, at the angle formed by their circumferences, the pivot or journal of a revolving shaft, to relieve it of friction; – called also
– friction wheels
. Friction balls
, or Friction rollers
, balls or rollers placed so as to receive the pressure or weight of bodies in motion, and relieve friction, as in the hub of a bicycle wheel.
– Friction brake
(Mach.)
, a form of dynamometer for measuring the power a motor exerts. A clamp around the revolving shaft or fly wheel of the motor resists the motion by its friction, the work thus absorbed being ascertained by observing the force required to keep the clamp from revolving with the shaft; a Prony brake.
– Friction chocks
, brakes attached to the common standing garrison carriages of guns, so as to raise the trucks or wheels off the platform when the gun begins to recoil, and prevent its running back.
Earrow.
– Friction clutch
, Friction coupling
an engaging and disengaging gear for revolving shafts, pulleys, etc., acting by friction
; esp.: (a)
A device in which a piece on one shaft or pulley is so forcibly pressed against a piece on another shaft that the two will revolve together; as, in the illustration, the cone a on one shaft, when thrust forcibly into the corresponding hollow cone b on the other shaft, compels the shafts to rotate together, by the hold the friction of the conical surfaces gives.
(b)
A toothed clutch, one member of which, instead of being made fast on its shaft, is held by friction and can turn, by slipping, under excessive strain or in starting.
– Friction drop hammer
, one in which the hammer is raised for striking by the friction of revolving rollers which nip the hammer rod.
– Friction gear
. See
– Frictional gearing
, under Frictional
. Friction machine
, an electrical machine, generating electricity by friction.
– Friction meter
, an instrument for measuring friction, as in testing lubricants.
– Friction powder
, Friction composition
a composition of chlorate of potassium, antimony, sulphide, etc, which readily ignites by friction.
– Friction primer
, Friction tube
a tube used for firing cannon by means of the friction of a roughened wire in the friction powder or composition with which the tube is filled.
– Friction wheel
(Mach.)
, one of the wheels in frictional gearing. See under
Frictional
.Webster 1828 Edition
Friction
FRIC'TION
,Noun.
1.
The act of rubbing the surface of one body against that of another; attrition. Many bodies by friction emit light, and friction generates or evolves heat.2.
In mechanics, the effect of rubbing, or the resistance which a moving body meets with from the surface on which it moves.3.
In medicine, the rubbing of the body with the hand, or with a brush, flannel, &c.; or the rubbing of a diseased part with oil, unguent or other medicament.Definition 2024
friction
friction
English
Noun
friction (uncountable)
- The rubbing of one object or surface against another.
- 2013 July-August, Henry Petroski, “Geothermal Energy”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 4:
- Energy has seldom been found where we need it when we want it. Ancient nomads, wishing to ward off the evening chill and enjoy a meal around a campfire, had to collect wood and then spend time and effort coaxing the heat of friction out from between sticks to kindle a flame.
-
- Conflict, as between persons having dissimilar ideas or interests; clash.
- (physics): A force that resists the relative motion or tendency to such motion of two bodies in contact.
- 1839, Denison Olmsted, A Compendium of Astronomy Page 95
- Secondly, When a body is once in motion it will continue to move forever, unless something stops it. When a ball is struck on the surface of the earth, the friction of the earth and the resistance of the air soon stop its motion.
- 1839, Denison Olmsted, A Compendium of Astronomy Page 95
Related terms
Derived terms
Derived terms
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Translations
The rubbing of one object or surface against another
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conflict
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A force that resists the relative motion or tendency to such motion of two bodies in contact
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See also
French
Etymology
From Latin frictionem, nom. frictio (“a rubbing, rubbing down”)
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /fʁik.sjɔ̃/
Noun
friction f (plural frictions)
- friction: the rubbing, the conflict or the physics force.